Cooper (The Family Simon Book 6) (14 page)

M
organ faltered
, suddenly all thumbs. What the hell was she doing? Was she really going to get naked with Cooper Simon?
Could
she get naked with Cooper Simon?

Her heart felt like a rocket, banging against her chest with a fury that left her breathless. And hot. She was so damn hot. Stomach turning over, she swallowed and squeezed her eyelids shut. The ache inside was strong and big, and it pressed into her with a heaviness that made her whimper.

Was it Cooper she wanted? Human contact? The feel of someone touching her? Or was it just the idea of it all?

Warm hands slid up along the back of her neck, and she tensed, fingers still clutching the edge of her shirt. She held her breath and angled her head a bit to the side as Cooper’s fingers trailed their way down to her collarbone and then were replaced by his mouth.

He blew hot air on her skin, slowly worked his way up, and spoke into her ear.

“We don’t have to do this.”

His voice was thick, and the fact that it was heavy with desire pulled at that elusive thing inside her. It pulled and twisted until it came apart, leaving her limbs loose and pliant. A slow, steady throb pulsed between her legs, and she bit her bottom lip, swallowing the groan that sat at the back of her throat.

Cooper Simon wanted her. She knew this.

And she…

“I want to,” she whispered, eyes slowly fluttering open. She was raw. Exposed. Trembling with desire and fear.

“I’m scared.” She blew out a long, painful breath. “I haven’t… It’s been…” Tears stung, and she shuddered when his arms went around her midsection. He pulled her back against his hard chest, and the heat of him melted into her pores. She fell back, and he rested his chin there, touching the top of her head, those big hands gently holding her.

“We’ll take it slow. Anytime you get uncomfortable or scared or just freaked out, you say stop, and I will.”

That damn lump was back, and Morgan had to take a few moments before she trusted herself to speak.

“You know this is going to be either really good or really bad.”

His lips pressed into the skin beneath her ear, and she shivered. It was her left side, and the skin there was sensitive, untouched by the horror of that night. “I don’t want to sound like an arrogant prick or anything.”

That brought a small smile to her mouth.

“But the only kind of bad that’s part of my vocabulary is the kind of bad that makes good seem like a waste of time.”

His hands crept up to her shoulders, and he slowly turned her around until she was forced to look up at him. Cooper’s face was dark and intense. His nostrils flared, his lips slightly parted. Shadows thrown from the fireplace made him look not only mysterious and sexy, but dangerous as hell. Was she really going to trust him?

Could this man bring her back to life?

He stared at her for so long, the silence rang in her ears, and she swayed a bit, liking the way his arms held her. He opened his mouth, and she held her breath, thinking he was about to say something. But instead, he lowered his head and slid his lips over hers.

He’d kissed her before. She knew what to expect, and yet this was something else entirely. Cooper Simon had an arsenal of weaponry in his back pocket—his mouth was at the top of that list.

This kiss was a slow, soft, gentle assault. The kind that rocked a girl to the core and left her wanting more. It was the kind of kiss that spoke of secrets and naughty things—of hot, dark places to explore. Yet it was also a kiss filled with promise. It was tender and coaxing and demanding all at once. Her head spun. She was falling because… Good Lord, Cooper Simon could kiss.

Morgan groaned into him and was thankful his hands held her, or she would have melted into a puddle of need at his feet. She was liquid. Her muscles were no more. She was at Cooper’s mercy, and right now, in this moment, she didn’t care.

She wanted this. She wanted it bad.

She opened her lips to him and groaned when he deepened the kiss, his tongue tasting every inch of her, his body slowly thrusting against her, mimicking the rhythm of his tongue. His hands slid down. They drifted over her hips until he cupped her butt, pulling her even closer. So close his erection pressed into that soft, pliant center…the one between her legs. The one that throbbed painfully.

“See how much I want you?” Cooper rasped, breaking their kiss. The naked desire on his face stoked an already burning fire inside Morgan.

“Yes,” she managed to answer.

“Only you. Right here. Right now.” He searched her face, and that thing inside her, the thing that had held her back for so long, broke apart. It splintered and fragmented under the heat of his gaze. “You say stop, and I will. I promise.”

This was the moment that mattered. The moment where Morgan could turn away and end this before it got…

“This might get complicated,” she managed to say. It was hard to speak and vocalize what was in her head.

“I like complicated,” he shot back.

“And messy.”

His fingers were on the edge of her top. “I’m good with messy.”

Her hands crept up to his face and held him steady, because she needed him to know—to see how bad it really was.

“Trust me. My kind of complicated and messy isn’t anything you’ve ever seen before.”

Something in his eyes shifted, and she felt him stiffen—only for a moment, but she knew her words had struck a chord. “I’ve seen complicated and messy. I don’t scare easily.”

Surprised, she licked her bottom lip, struggling to find the right words. In the end, she didn’t have words. She only had herself and her damaged body. Morgan took a deep breath and slowly extracted herself from Cooper’s arms. She stepped back, grateful for the deep shadows and the limited light from the fireplace.

Fire.

It wasn’t so long ago that particular word had the power to drop her to her knees. And now, as her gaze moved to the flickering flames, it wasn’t fear or terror she felt. It was, oddly enough, some weird sense of liberation.

Morgan exhaled, closed her eyes, and slowly tugged her top over her head before tossing it onto the floor. She felt faint—most likely from the fast-beating heart that had taken off like a locomotive barreling down the track. Eyes still shut, she unzipped her jeans and winced a bit because her leg was stiff. Ignoring the pain, she stepped out of them, and the denim joined her top somewhere a few feet away.

She stood there, more than a little uncertain, and gasped when Cooper’s big, warm hands slid up her back. She felt his fingers work at her bra clasp, and then his mouth was on the back of her neck as he slowly slipped her bra off.

His hands slid around her, cupping her breasts from underneath as he continued to kiss the side of her neck. Greedy fingers touched her nipples, and she whimpered as long-forgotten sensations shot through her like sparks of energy that hit hard, right between the legs. She shuffled a bit, trying to alleviate some of the pressure, but it was no use.

He rolled his forefinger over the rosy peaks, pressing into her from behind as her head fell back against him.

“I need to see you,” he murmured into her neck.

Morgan stiffened, breaths falling from her in sporadic spurts as a tingle of uncertainty washed over her. She wanted this so badly, and yet…was she brave enough to follow through?

“Will you let me see you?”

She was fully exposed, only the throbbing area between her legs covered by a thin piece of cotton. All that skin. Some mottled and scarred. Forever damaged.

“Can you let me see you?” His voice was low and raspy—the tone so intimate that an immediate answer erupted between her legs.

Hell yes.

It was now or never.

Morgan’s eyes were still shut—she couldn’t open them if she wanted to. Slowly, she turned around, hands fisted at her sides, head down, long hair giving her some sort of protection.

Several long moments passed. Moments filled with flashes of images. Images of the scars down her right shoulder and arm. The mottled skin on the right side of her neck. The deep scar on her leg.

So much imperfection and ugliness. With a small whimper, she would have turned away, except Cooper was there, his mouth on hers, his hands roving her body and settling over her hips. He kissed her, murmuring things against her mouth she didn’t understand—didn’t understand because her head was spinning.

When he finally gave up her mouth, his lips moved to her neck, there where the skin was damaged. He held her and kissed every inch, and even though she couldn’t feel his lips there, his hands were so gentle, she felt the sting of tears.

When he moved to her breasts, she arched upward, wanting him to touch and taste. Wanting him to tease and take.

And he did. Cooper Simon opened his hot mouth over her nipple. He flicked his tongue across the pebbled peak and tugged at it, his teeth causing all sorts of delicious friction. She cried out. And maybe moaned a little.

“That feels so good.”

“Babe,” Cooper spoke gruffly, his mouth making its way up to hers. “We’re just getting started.”

He rested his forehead against hers, and her hands crept up to his shoulders. She could feel how tense his muscles were, the sinewy ropes pulled tight.

“Open your eyes for me,” he said quietly.

She didn’t want to. If they were closed, she couldn’t see. If she couldn’t see, she could pretend that she was normal and whole…and deserving of a man like Cooper.

“Now,” he commanded.

Chest heaving, Morgan slowly fluttered her eyelids upward. Her mouth fell open at the look on Cooper’s face. It was dark and passionate—almost feral. But there was something else there. What that something else was, she didn’t really know. The only thing Morgan
did
know was that it made her feel safe. And wanted. And…

“You’re so fucking beautiful. You need to know that.” His hand trailed over her skin, the large fingers splayed across the mottled skin on her shoulder and then her neck.

“All of you. Every single goddamn inch. Never let anyone make you believe otherwise.”

His hands made their way upward, skimming the tops of her aching breasts, caressing the sensitive area at the base of her neck, before sinking into the tousled hair at her nape.

“All I can think about is being inside you.”

Ping.

The throb between her legs ramped up something fierce. His hand slid between them, down her body until it settled over the damp scrap of material between her legs. She bit her lip but wasn’t able to hold back the groan as he gently kneaded her through the cotton. Not once did his gaze leave her.

“I’m going to taste you.” His fingers slipped inside her panties and sank between her slick folds. “Right here.” He arched an eyebrow, a wicked grin touching his mouth. “Will you let me…” He thrust his finger inside her, his grin widening when she gasped. “Put my mouth right here?”

He curved his finger, and she gripped his shoulders, her body tensing at the wave of pleasure that rolled through her.

“Because I think I’m going to like the way you taste, Morgan.” He leaned close and swept his mouth across hers. “I think I’m going to like it so much, I might have to have seconds…”

His finger found that spot, the one that would make any woman fall to her knees.

She groaned.

He grinned.

“And thirds.” Again he thrust his finger deep inside, angled just so, while his thumb found her clit.

“Dinner was great,” he said, pulling back. Cold air fell across her heated skin, and everything inside her was on fire. He reached for her and scooped her into his arms, walking toward the large sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace.

“Wasn’t dinner great?” he asked again, gently laying her on her back.

Morgan nodded. She couldn’t answer, because at the moment, she couldn’t really function.

“But dessert,” Cooper said wickedly, reaching for the button on his jeans. He paused, that wicked grin once more in place. “Dessert is going to blow your mind.”

C
ooper knew
he needed to take his time with Morgan, but hell, it was damn hard to keep his shit together when he wanted her so bad. He wanted to be inside her…wanted to make her come and watch as she did. From all the pleasure. Pleasure he gave her.

Her sweet face riveted him. Her big eyes were so pale, they appeared colorless in the muted light. They held so much, and it was easy to see. This woman wasn’t coy. She had no agenda, no need to play games. It was all there for anyone with half a brain to see. Desire. Need. And fear.

He got it. The scars on her body were hard for her. He’d be a liar to say they hadn’t made him cringe a little—but not because he found them repulsive or ugly. Because he knew they’d caused her so much pain. More importantly, they’d been born out of tragedy.

He knew it had taken a lot for her to get to this point. To let him see her. The real Morgan. It made him want her all the more. Made him want to wipe away every last bit of fear and pain he saw in her eyes. Made him want to hold her up and never let her come down so that the shadows that plagued her could never reappear.

He wanted Morgan to have an amazing night. One that would free her from the chains holding her back. One that would awaken the woman inside. He’d had a small glimpse of the kind of woman Morgan could be, and he was hungry for more.

Cooper reached for his zipper and freed his aching cock. He smiled savagely, enjoying how her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was commando—boxers were overrated—and hard as a rock. He ached with need, his balls tight and ready.

He tossed his jeans onto the sofa and ripped off his shirt, taking a moment to calm himself. He really needed to clamp down on things, because, hell, how embarrassing would it be if he blew his load before he’d had a chance to make Morgan scream his name?

And there would be screaming. Lots and lots of screaming.

Now naked and hot, sweat forming a slick sheen on his body, he knelt before her, gently taking hold of Morgan’s feet and touching every inch of them before sliding his hands up to her knees. Her eyes were now closed, that wild mane of hair a dark pillow surrounding her head. There was resistance there, and he growled like an animal, slipping his hands beneath her knees.

“I need to see you, darlin’.” The pulse at her neck mesmerized him. He knew she was worked up something fierce. Her breasts rose and fell, the engorged nipples tight and pink, and a soft sound escaped from between her lips. It was short and sweet and hot as hell.

“Open for me, Morgan,” he coaxed, applying a small bit of pressure until her legs slowly fell apart, the light blue scrap of fabric between them damp with desire.

Cooper leaned over her, watching closely as he lazily trailed his fingers along her outer thigh until he reached the long, jagged scar that sliced across perfect, supple skin. She jerked a bit, lids shut so tightly, her lashes sweeping downward.

He ached for her. He knew how hard this was.

He bent forward, his mouth replacing his hands, and traced the entire line with slow, gentle kisses, until he reached her hip. Then he turned his attention to the other side, repeating a slow sweep until both of his hands clutched the edge of her panties.

A wicked grin stole over his face, and he blew hot air over her crotch, his grin widening when she began to wriggle that delicious butt. He could smell her and knew she was ready. He ripped her panties straight down the middle, his blood molten when her eyes flew open and she gasped.

“I’ll buy a hundred of them tomorrow.”

Morgan licked her bottom lip, now resting on her elbows, looking down at him.

“Only a hundred?” she said, voice throaty, heavy with desire.

“One hundred in every damn color.”

He knelt between her legs, his hands sliding up and over her hips before returning to the one place he needed to be so bad, he was going to lose his shit if he didn’t get a taste.

She was perfect. Goddamn perfect.

Morgan’s desire glistened, and the knowledge that he’d made her so wet filled him with a power he’d never felt before. He bent lower and gently parted her folds, breath catching at the sight of all that delicious, exposed feminine flesh. She was pink and swollen, her clit begging for his mouth. With a groan, he lowered himself.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, his hands sliding beneath her butt to lift her at just the right angle.

He opened his mouth and took in every bit of her sex that he could. She was soft and pliant—so damn wet, it made his cock twitch. She began to gyrate slowly, her body responding to his tongue and mouth as Cooper used every trick he knew to bring her to the brink. He knew a lot—he was there for a while.

“Oh God, Cooper,” she moaned suddenly, her body stiffening.

He wanted to tell her that God had nothing to do with it. That all of this was Cooper and Morgan. That the connection between them was on fire. That there was so much more to come.

But he didn’t say a word. He watched her, his tongue licking and suckling her clit as he plunged his finger deep inside her. He felt her tighten. Felt her muscles envelop and quiver. He continued his assault, using his tongue like a weapon, his finger on the trigger.

When she came, her entire body convulsed, her chest thrust forward, her face pink with desire as she bucked against him.

Cooper smiled. His little New Englander was a wilding.

He kissed his way up her flat stomach before claiming her breasts once more. She was perfect. A little more than a handful and so damn soft, they made his mouth water.

Her hands were in his hair as he took the time to worship each breast, suckling her nipples and kneading the soft flesh that was once more engorged with desire. She whimpered when he left them and dragged his mouth up to hers, enveloping her luscious lips in a fierce kiss that lingered. He could spend hours kissing this woman, and maybe one day, he’d have enough control to spend an entire afternoon kissing her, but right now, control wasn’t even on his radar. He was close to the edge and riding it hard.

Cooper’s cock ached, his balls were too damn tight, and there was still so much he wanted to do. He took a moment, rested his forehead against her, and smiled as he dug deep for the strength he needed.

“Whoever said dessert is overrated hasn’t tasted you, sweets.”

“That was amazing.” Her voice shook, and it was like a punch to his gut. The fact that she mattered so much wasn’t something he was going to think about right now. That could come later. Right now, he needed to move on.

“Seconds were great, but I want more.” He practically growled the words.

Okay. He was ready. He cupped her head and gazed down into a face that would surely haunt him at night. Right now…the look that sat there…one of wonder and maybe relief and stark desire? He’d never forget it.

“Onto thirds,” he replied, his hands sliding down her body once more. Christ, he couldn’t stop touching her. Reluctantly, he let go and reached for his jeans, pulling out the condom he’d tossed into his pocket earlier. He was, if anything, an optimistic bastard. With a quick rip of foil, he stretched the latex over his cock and quickly returned to Morgan.

She’d turned slightly, her body trembling, legs shaking, and it took him a moment to realize she was hiding from him, the soft glow from the fire sliding across her left side. The undamaged side.

“Hey.” A frown crossed his face, and he reached for her. “Morgan.” Suddenly unsure, he waited a few moments, not knowing how to proceed. His desire sat heavy and hard between his legs, and he knew she wanted him just as bad, so what the hell had he missed?

He dragged a hand through the damp hair atop his head, stilling when she slowly sat up, though she remained averted.

“We can stop.” He barely got the words out—it would be hard as hell to stop. But he’d made her a promise. “Just say the word.”

She swiped at her face, and something inside him melted. Was she crying? Had he pushed her too far? Suddenly filled with remorse, Cooper sat back on his haunches, trying to find the right words.

“Are you all right? Did I do something to hurt you? Because you gotta let me know if I did. You gotta let me know so I never do it again.”

She shook her head, exhaling in a long shudder. “No,” she replied after a few seconds. “I’m just…” Her voice quivered. “I haven’t let anyone see me like this. Not since Nathan, and he…he couldn’t handle it. The look on his face when he saw me for the first time… I…” Her voice broke, and with a curse, Cooper moved forward, enveloping her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and held her.

He’d hold her for as long as she needed, but his New Englander surprised him. She pushed against his chest and turned so that the firelight danced across her skin. Morgan took his hand and placed it at the crook of her neck. The skin there was puckered, hard and rough. She traced his fingers down her shoulder and to her arm, before guiding him to the damaged skin on her side. All the while, her gaze on him, eyes wide open, searching for something.

“This repulsed him,” she whispered, bottom lip trembling. “And for the longest time, I believed I was repulsive and ugly and—”

Cooper pressed his finger against her mouth and moved so that his face was less than a whisper from hers. He slid both hands up along each side of her jaw and held her there so that she had no option but to see him. To see the truth he spoke.

“You are beautiful. Every single fucking inch of you is beautiful, because every damn inch is a piece of you. Every damn inch of you counts and matters.” His hand slid to the damaged skin at her neck. “This is part of you. It fits. It belongs. To me, it’s perfect. You got that?”

She slowly nodded, her pink tongue touching the edge of her bottom lip, and his cock hardened even more. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He searched her face, waiting for a sign, and sighed when she reached for him, her generous mouth sliding across his with a gentle caress.

Cooper pushed her back against the rug, rolling her onto her back and nuzzling her neck as he did so. His hands roved hungrily, finding her breasts, her stomach, and then the warm, wet center he craved. He smiled, teasing her with his fingers.

Morgan was ready, and he couldn’t wait any longer.

He rose up in front of her, dropping a hungry kiss to her lips before positioning himself between her legs. She immediately sank her hands into his hair, pulling him back, her kiss deepening as he slid his cock along her opening. Cooper grinned at the sound that fell out of her when he made contact. She thrust her hips up, and Cooper was, if anything, a pleaser. He pushed into her without pause, groaning at the feel of her. So tight. So wet. So damn ready for him.

She stretched over him, gripping his cock as he began to thrust, and with one hand beneath her butt, he used his other so that he could look down at her. He was wound tight—so damn tight—and he knew he wouldn’t last long.

“I’m going to apologize now, because this is gonna be fast,” he whispered hoarsely, upping his tempo. A savage smile touched his mouth when she moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist.

She reached for him as his thrusts became more aggressive…faster and harder. Her skin damp, slick with sweat and passion, made it hard to hold his grip. Made it easy to slide in and out.

“I like fast,” she panted, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Good to know,” he growled near her ear.

“Slow can be good.”

He smiled at that, though the smile left just as quickly, because his orgasm was knocking hard. “We’ve got all night.”

“We do.” She gasped, and he felt her walls tighten. Jesus, he couldn’t hold out much longer. He withdrew completely—grinned wickedly when she protested—and then plunged inside Morgan, pushing into her until he all but disappeared. For one perfect moment, their eyes caught and held.

And then she leaned back, a moan escaping—a moan that turned into a full-on scream as she came for him.

Cooper Simon felt like a champ as he raced toward his own release. Damn right they had the entire night ahead of them. He tightened, plunged into her one last time, and roared as he came.

He was one scream down and a dozen more to go.